Turtle

“Trophic cascade,” he says, “Ever heard of it?” (I haven’t.) “You add one top predator to a biosystem and the whole biosystem changes, right down to the microbes in the soil. That’s what’s happening. The socio-political biosystem is transmogrifying.”

“You can run, but you can’t hide,” I say. “Refusing to follow the news only makes you uninformed. It doesn’t make you safe.”

“On the periphery of a compromised biosystem,” he says, “we might assume there are a few creatures who sense impending doom and choose to get the hell out of Dodge.”

“So you’re the turtle who tucks in his head and skitters away.”

“I don’t think turtles can do that, skitter with their heads tucked in, but I take your point.” he says. “I’ve chosen to remain healthy and sane and the current climate isn’t conducive to either.”

“And what do you wash that blue pill down with, Neo? Warm milk?”

“I don’t wash it down with anything,” he says. “It’s delicious all by itself.”